


Caution

by FreckleCat



Category: Scooby Doo - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Multi, Mystery, Rarepair, Rated teen just to be safe, Romance, Slow Burn, fred is so ace, it's about the pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28758504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreckleCat/pseuds/FreckleCat
Summary: There's always a new mystery to solve, but this one's hot on the heels of some personal revelations within the Mystery Gang. Will everything come together the way it should?And will I update this as regularly as I think I will?Title is from the Killer's song, "Caution"
Relationships: Daphne Blake/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers
Comments: 21
Kudos: 17





	1. Your Song

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to my friends for putting up with me whenever I feel the urge to talk about this lmao.  
> =

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some chapters will have songs that go along with them.  
> This chapter is "Your Song" by Elton John

The Summer Festival Dance. He’d promised the gang he’d come and, if he's being honest, that’s the only thing keeping him there. The snack spread isn’t what he’d hoped for, but he’s not going to complain about free food in this lifetime. Shaggy spots Velma across the room, chatting with her book club. Fred’s caught the eye of a couple girls from the university cheer team, but he keeps to himself and grabs some punch. 

Unfortunately, Scooby's back at home. A dance may be a party, but it’s still at a school. He’d been alright with it, though. A box of Scooby Snacks around never did any harm, either. Shaggy muses on the idea of bringing Scooby Snacks wherever he goes, ghouls notwithstanding, when Velma and Fred stop by.

“How’s it going, Shag?” Fred asks, handing him a cup of punch.

“Like, not bad. Still, never been a dance kind of guy.” He shrugs.

Velma raises a brow.

“Aw, come on, there’s gotta be _somebody_ you want to dance with, right?” Fred goads.

Like a sign from the fates, he spots her. She’s fashionably late, as if anything she could ever do would be unfashionable. She’s beautiful. Again, never unusual for her, but it’s definitely on purpose tonight.

Her dress is a deep purple, with tiny crystals sewn on to give the impression of stars against the night sky. She’s pulled her hair into a bun, letting a few curled strands hang down around her face. Her makeup is immaculate, even from this distance.

“Like… Maybe.” He hardly registers saying it out loud.

“Oh, yeah?”

Fred seems genuinely surprised to hear it. Granted, Shaggy’s never really asked anyone to _dance_ at a dance before, only doing so if asked first. Usually, though, the snack table is his partner for the night, and he’s never really minded.

“So get out there, then!” Fred gestures broadly, still not sure who they're talking about.

The idea sends Shaggy into cardiac arrest.

“It's just like I said. Maybe, but like, maybe not.”

Velma shoots him a knowing look, but she lets it go. “It's your call.”

The two head off into the crowd, no doubt chatting up the members of the various clubs they've both joined.

An hour passes by, and Shaggy busies himself with the cupcakes and cookies laid out on the snack table. He hears somebody say his name. Looking up from his plate, he finds one of the football team guys approaching him, Noah something-or-other.

“Yo, Rogers. What’s Blake’s problem?”

He swallows the bite he’d been working on, confused. “Like, what do you mean?”

“She was moping around, so I tried asking her to dance, but she wasn’t having it. I'm not gonna push my luck, but you hang around her, I thought you might know what’s eating her.”

Oh, he knows, alright. It’s basically tradition for her to dance with Fred, and exclusively with Fred. This has led to… some issues, to say the least. Fred’s a kind soul, but not a romantic one, and Daph had gone home from most dances upset. He’d dealt with the aftermath once or twice, but it’s usually Velma’s territory.

“Oh, man, that’s right, you transferred schools this year. Like, it’s nothing personal.”

Shaggy gives Noah the run-down of the situation. After he’s finished, the jock gives him a puzzled look.

“Isn’t that… kind of sad?”

Not wanting to tread into dangerous waters, Shaggy settles for an equally fair observation. “I mean, haven’t you ever liked anybody, man?”

“Well, yeah," Noah shrugs, "but if you like somebody, don’t _you_ ask _them_ to dance?”

The irony hits Shaggy like a bus.

The jock heads off, satisfied with his newfound knowledge. Shaggy, on the other hand, has no idea what to do with his own revelation.

"Pot and kettle, man..." He mumbles to himself.

He spots Daphne in the crowd, having taken a seat. She smiles, but it’s nowhere near genuine. She hasn’t danced this whole time. Fred's earlier suggestions run circles in his head. Hands shaking, he stands up. On autopilot, his feet move across the auditorium. The crowd feels thicker than a peanut butter sandwich, and he practically has to swim his way through. He’s been up for hardly a second before Velma takes up his field of vision.

"Hey." She smiles tightly, eyes boring holes into his skull. "Whatcha doin'?"

_Remain calm remain calm remain calm._

"I’m… dancing?"

"Oh?" She cocks her brow like a shotgun. "Noah Sprockmeyer and I were just talking."

_Ohshitshitshitshit._

"Oh, yeah?" Shaggy begins to sweat again.

"Yeah. 'If you like someone, you ask them to dance'? What are you thinking?" Velma suddenly looks much more concerned. "You _know_ how this is going to go. I don't want you to… upset yourself."

He sighs, his shoulders falling. "Yeah, yeah. I just… I feel like I'm lying to her. She deserves to know. I don't expect her to do anything about it. If that just means we're, like, friends until we die, that works for me."

Velma sighs. "Your puppy eyes are worse than Scooby... Look, I didn't say you shouldn't let her know. I just mean don't _bank_ on anything, okay? And for God's sake, don't _say_ or _do_ anything that I wouldn't."

"Fair enough, Velms, I’ll keep that in mind."

By the time he makes it to Daphne, she’s noticed him approach. He just hopes she hasn’t noticed how much he’s been sweating. For a moment, he just stares with his mouth open like a fish. He almost forgets what he came here to say. It's like they're 12 years old again. Daph gives him a gentle smile, and it’s enough to make him find words.

“You… you look real nice tonight.”

Her eyes widen for just a second. _Had nobody told her?_ He wonders. _Oh please, everybody’s probably told her twice by now._

“Thanks, Shaggy. You clean up pretty well, yourself.” She recovers fast, giving him a smirk.

He’s weak. He could die. He could really just lie down on the floor, shut his eyes, and die. She tilts her head at him.

“Are you okay? You look pale-”

“Do you want to dance?" The words escape him so fast that they nearly blend together.

He holds out his hand more quickly than he’d meant to, making her jump. For a moment, she just stares at it, lips slightly parted. Her eyes are wide. He considers dropping dead again, plotting out the floor space available. Before he can try, she takes the offer. The size of her hand against his is night and day, and he nearly laughs. It comes out as a hiccup. If Daphne notices, she's kind enough not to show it.

The music slows, becoming a ballad. Shaggy recognizes the song. More nervous laughter catches in his lungs. Daphne takes up the position to dance. It suddenly occurs to Shaggy that he’s not much of a dancer, but he prays that he’s good enough to be passable. Daphne hums along to Elton John. They sway a bit as Shaggy gets used to the second pair of feet in his space. He’s never understood how Daphne could function in heels, let alone run from all the freaks they deal with.

“So… Like, how are you?” He tries to make conversation, but winces as soon as the too-casual question leaves his mouth.

She shrugs, biting her lip. “Not fantastic, but it’s alright.”

“Is it?”

She looks at him for a second, curious. He glances around the room so he doesn’t end up staring at her. She hesitates a little. 

“I mean… I guess not, but I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m just trying to take it as it comes. What about you?”

“Like, I’m way too hot in this suit, but it’s not that bad. Haven’t really ever… done this before.”

He doesn’t know why he feels compelled to share, but it comes out before he can think about it. They'd gone to so many of their parents' charity galas, she must already know he's a wallflower.

“Still not much for dancing?” She grins.

He nods.

“It’s not so hard. Here, try this.”

She guides his arm so their hands are above her head, then gives a twirl. He does his best to move with her, genuinely surprised when he doesn’t screw it up. Daphne holds onto him again, laughing.

“See, that was great!”

Shaggy watches her face, smiling a little wider when he notices a few strands of hair have fallen from her bun. Her own smile falters. He realizes he hasn’t said anything back.

“Like, yeah," he stammers, "guess I’m not so bad at it.”

“Hey, are you okay? You seem kind of out of it tonight.”

He’s suddenly too aware of her hand in his, the other resting on his shoulder. Glancing over, he spots Fred laughing with Velma. Velma meets his look from across the room. Her eyes go wider than the moon outside, but she shoots him a discreet thumbs-up. Looking back to Daphne, Shaggy’s hands begin to shake again.

“I just… I think, like, maybe this might have been a bad idea.”

“Oh?” Daphne frowns, more confused than upset.

"I… I know you have different plans for tonight."

He deliberately avoids saying 'I know you're wishing I was Fred right now '. Daphne may have her own agenda, but he knows she'd never be cruel enough to wish he wasn't here at all.

She thinks for a minute. He can't help but notice her half-second glance to Fred before looking back up at him.

"I always have time for you, Shaggy. You're my friend."

He’d be lying if he said that last bit didn’t sting, but it's nothing he can't understand. They're friends, it makes sense. The world wouldn't make sense if they weren't just friends. Besides, if that's all she wants, then that's all he wants.

 _T_ _his was a bad idea._ Shaggy begins to panic.

He nods, hands shaking. She must notice, because she runs a thumb over his knuckles. He jerks slightly at the motion, as if he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Only it's not, it's in hers, which is much worse. He doesn't have to worry about a cookie splitting the gang apart if he screws this up.

The song ends. Daphne doesn't let go at first, but then again, neither does he. For a minute, they just stand there, not sure who should move first. It's when the next song begins that Daphne backs out.

"That was fun, I had a good time." She offers, smiling graciously.

"Me, too."

He swallows hard. _It’s now or never, man. Go for the gold, shoot for the stars, all that other garbage that people say before they do something stupid._ God, he must look like a wreck.

Daphne starts to walk away, and the words panic themselves out of his mouth.

“I really like you, Daph.”

She stops, turning back.

“... Sorry, what?”

Shaggy wishes the floor would open underneath him. It’s like the entire cosmos is laughing at him.

“I just… I like you. A lot. I have for, like, a while.”

Her breath catches and her eyes go wide. She frowns slightly, blinking a few times. “Shaggy… That’s not funny.”

His chest starts to burn like he’s eaten his weight in five-alarm chili. He lets out a nervous puff of air, glancing around for a second. A few of the couples in close proximity are staring. He meets her gaze again.

“I’m- I’m not joking.”

“You… oh.”

Overwhelming silence. He doesn't even register the music anymore.

Her eyes start to water, and suddenly, the other couples in the room don't matter. He takes a step closer to her, holding his hands up in surrender.

“Daph, it’s ok, you don’t have to-”

Daphne takes a step away from him, glancing at another part of the room. Shaggy follows her eyes. Across the floor, Fred pours a glass of punch and hands it to a girl from the fencing club.

“Hey… It’s okay.” He offers the white flag as gently as he can. "Like, I get it."

She stares up at him, visibly upset. At the look on her face, someone may as well have thrown a brick straight into his ribcage.

“I shouldn’t have-”

Holding her skirt just above her ankles, Daphne makes a break for the exit before he can say anything else. The crowd starts to dance again, swallowing him whole.


	2. No Plan

He wants to slam his head against every wall he passes on the way to the van. Of  _ course _ Velma was right. Besides, what kind of sad sack was he to tell Daphne something like that when all she’d been doing was waiting for Fred to come over?

His timing was awful. His choice of words was even worse. He can’t blame her for anything, and he doesn’t. He can’t even blame Fred, either.

“Where’s Daphne?” A new voice asks from behind him.

Speak of the devil.

“She left early, man.”

“Oh. I hope she’s alright.” Fred’s brows knit together in confusion.

She's never left a dance early before. Not until this one, anyway. Shaggy groans. Turning the corner to the front of the school, Velma nearly runs into him.

“Shaggy! I was just looking for you, actually.” She glances over his shoulder to find Fred trailing behind him.

“That’s ok, you can say ‘I told you so’ on the way home.” Shaggy stares out across the parking lot.

_ On the way home... _ It occurs to him that they’d all come in the van together. Suddenly worried, he looks at Velma.

“Hey, do you know if Daph made it home alright? She… left early.”

“Yeah, I saw that. Lucky for you, I also saw Jenkins pick her up.”

Shaggy lets out a sigh of relief. Jenkins, her butler (and godfather), would get her home safe. At least she’d be alright, in that sense. The thought of her walking home alone in the dark would have scared him more than any freak in a mask.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Fred’s eyes shift between his two friends.

“Ask Shaggy.” Velma deadpans, restarting the walk to the van.

Shaggy nearly trips over his feet. How is he going to explain this to Fred? Fred turns to him with the concerned look he's so good at. Sighing, Shaggy buckles.

“Like, I think I just... I scared her.”

Fred suddenly eyes him suspiciously.

“What did you do? Is she okay?”

“Hey, I wouldn’t hurt her.” He snaps.

The defense comes so naturally that it surprises him. Of course, he always knew it for a fact, but hearing it out loud is an uncharted feeling. Sighing, he continues.

“Sorry. Like, I appreciate that you’re worried, man, but-”

“Shaggy told Daphne he likes her.” Velma cuts in.

Nearly choking, he shoots her a warning glance.

“You were beating around the bush.” She shrugs, nonchalant.

“You…” Fred trails off as if his brain has shorted out.

Shaggy opens his mouth to patch things up as fast as he can. Before he can start rambling, though, Velma holds up a hand, her fingers counting down from three. Two. One.

“That’s awesome!” Fred beams. “You’re a great guy, Shag, I’m sure you guys will be- Oh, wait, she  _ left?” _

Velma rolls her eyes, practically saying _ ‘I know you guys better than you know yourselves’ _ .

“Yeah, man.” Shaggy sighs. "Like I said, I think I scared her. I think… I think she likes somebody else.”

Velma snorts, earning another warning glance. Fred lets out a puff of air, raising his brows.

“Oh, man, I’m sorry. Do you think she’s okay?”

“I don’t know.” Shaggy fumbles with the van’s keys, missing the lock at first, “I sure hope so.”

“Maybe you should talk to her.”

“Velms, I think I’m the last person she wants to talk to right now.”

She sidles into the passenger seat, scoffing. “I didn’t mean right this second, dingus. Give her a few days to think things over, and then just tell her what you told me earlier about being friends.”

“It’s an idea…” Shaggy stares blankly at the wheel of the van.

“It’s a good one, you know why?”

“Because you’re better with women than I am?”

“Because I’m better with women than you are.” Velma nods sagely.

=

He doesn’t call or text Daphne for a few days. He wants her to have space. The dance had fallen just before a long school break, so they won’t even see each other in classes. On the sixth day, it's Velma that texts him first.

**_V_ ** _ : Today might be a good day to talk to her? It’s been a while. _

He replies within the minute, hoping she wouldn’t suggest it.

**_S_ ** _ : Or I could not and say I did. _

**_V_ ** _ : Don’t be a flake, Rogers. You dug yourself into this, remember? >:/ _

Shaggy sighs, lying back in his beanbag.

“Like, when she’s right, she’s right.”

He tries calling Daphne. No answer. He shoots her a text, hoping it'll make it her way:

**_S_ ** _ : Hey, Daph. I’m real sorry about the other night. I want to talk, if that’s okay with you. _

A day and a half passes without an answer, an oddity for her. Staring out his window at the van, he fidgets with his keys. Would it be too much to pay her a home visit?

**_S_ ** _ : Would it be pushy to talk to her in person? _

**_V_ ** _ : I mean, did you try calling her first? _ __  
  


**_S_ ** _ : Yeah. Sent a text, too. No dice. Maybe she really doesn’t want to see me. _

**_V_ ** _ : Maybe, or maybe she’s lost her phone again. My opinion? Stop by, but only for a minute. Just tell her you genuinely didn’t mean to upset her, apologize, then be on your way. _

**_S_ ** _ : If you say so. _

**_V_ ** _ : Which one of us has the good dating track record? >:3 _

**_S_ ** _ : Pretty sure it’s neither of us. _

**_V_ ** _ : >:( _

Filled with the dread of a dead man walking, he starts up the van and heads out.

=

It's one of Daphne's sisters that answers the door. She stares him down, lazily smacking her gum. "What do you want?"

"Like, nice to see you too, Dawn. Is Daph hom-"

"No." She blows a bubble and lets it pop.

"Are you su-"

"Yes."  _ Pop _ .

"Could you jus-"

_ Pop _ .

Shaggy frowns, sighing. "Could you just tell her I'm sorry?"

Dawn stops chewing, narrowing her eyes. "You  _ didn't _ ."

"Like, I didn't what?"

She jabs a finger at him, wielding her acrylic nail like a knife. "Don't think I haven't seen you with the heart eyes, Rogers. Just because you've got it bad for her doesn't mean you've got any good chances."

" _ Whoa _ , I didn't-"

"You might have this idea in your head that just because your dad can fly planes and your mom can paint, must mean  _ you're _ pretty well off, is that it?"

"No, I-"

"It's delusional. What do you think you could give her? Your  _ van _ ? Get real. Daphne needs somebody who can give her something  _ more _ , something worthwhile. What have  _ you _ got?"

The air hangs heavy.

"I… I mean… I like her?"

The words might as well fall onto the pavement like a rock. Dawn's got him right where she wants him, boxed in. 

She blinks at him, and he almost detects pity behind her eyes. As soon as he sees it, it disappears.

Dawn snorts, her face contorting slightly. Shaggy almost worries she's choking on her gum, then the first laugh bursts out. 

"You  _ like  _ her? Everybody  _ likes  _ her. Oh my  _ God _ ."

Her voice trails off as she shuts the front door, leaving him alone. 

Shaggy doesn't move, letting the conversation hang there and just trying to forget it ever happened.

He trudges to the van, sitting in the driver's seat with the window down. The breeze carries a chill. His fingers go numb. He blinks at the rearview mirror. A cloud drifts in front of the sun. The rumble of the engine doesn't drown out his thoughts like he hoped it would, so he turns on the radio. It does even less.

As he rolls down the street, he sees a flash of red hair on the porch. He drives off, not wanting to hear any more of Daphne's sisters laughing at him.

=

"Who was at the door? Nobody ever visits." Daphne peeks her head into the entry, having abandoned the search for her phone.

"One of yours," Dawn drawls, smacking her gum as she heads upstairs. "the green pushover."

The youngest Blake's eyes go wide. "What did he say?"

"Asked if you were home."

Daphne opens the front door just in time to see the Mystery Machine rolling off down the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Shaggy is the owner of the van in my head.  
> Also, Daphne's sisters from Mystery Incorporated are in this somewhat. I always liked the idea of Daphne being the youngest in a rich family, so I decided to keep that.


	3. For What It's Worth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of forewarning, this work sort of exists outside of any one Scooby Doo movie/show.   
> Like, I mention Daphne's sisters from Mystery Incorporated, but there's also a mention of Velma's sister, Madelyn, later on. Madelyn didn't exist in Mystery Inc, so if you can't tell, I'm sort of just picking and choosing the elements of Scooby shows/movies that I like and working them together so they fit.  
> Thanks for sticking around!

Naturally, the gang gets another case on their hands within the week. A national park ranger had been complaining about a disturbance scaring off campers.

The van is dead silent as Daphne slides into the rightmost passenger seat. Fred's knuckles are nearly white against the steering wheel. Velma whistles a tune. In the back, Shaggy avoids eye contact, looking everywhere except the front of the van.

"So…" Daphne draws out the word.

"So…" Everyone parrots back.

Scooby lets out a huff, lying down for a nap.

Fred shifts the van into gear, attempting to shake off any awkward silence. The radio sparks to life, and Elton John croons. Daphne switches the station. In her peripherals, she notices Shaggy shuffle in his seat, eyes down. After a moment of hesitation, she switches the station back. Velma snorts.

"What's funny?" Daphne snaps.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." Velma coughs.

It's a long drive to the national park.

"All right, gang," Fred assumes his leadership, having forgotten the earlier tension, "let's split up and look for clues. Me and-"

"Actually _ ,  _ Fred, I was hoping we could switch things around this time." Velma interjects.

Daphne and Shaggy share a nervous, split-second glance at each other. Fred, albeit confused, nods his approval. "Uh, sure. What were you thinking, Velms?"

"I was hoping Daphne and I could go clue-searching. Besides, I'm sure Shaggy would like to have some muscle on his side, for a change."

Fred shrugs. "Alright, yeah. Me and Shaggy will head for the station and see if the ranger can tell us exactly what he saw. You, Scooby, and Daphne should search the nearby woods. Scooby might be able to sniff something up. That work?"

"Sounds like a plan."

The gang splits into their groups and heads out.

=

Daphne fidgets with one of the rings on her hand. Velma, picking at claw marks on a tree, glances over from the corner of her eye. "What's eating you?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

" _ Har-har _ ," Velma deadpans, "but really, what's going on? Your heart isn't in it today."

Daphne clenches and unclenches her jaw, eventually giving in.

"So, let's say people expect certain things from you, so you just go along with them for… I don't know, as long as you can remember. Then something comes up, and it makes you think about what you've been doing. Then, when you  _ really _ think about it, you realize you've been doing a lot of things just to make other people happy, and you haven't really done anything for yourself… like, almost ever."

Velma leans against the tree, quirking a brow. "Lemme guess, you're asking for a friend?"

"No, I'm asking for  _ me _ , and I'm asking  _ you _ because… well, come on, when have you ever been a people-pleaser?"

"A fair point." The brunette nods.

"So?"

"So, what? You've only been making other people happy your whole life, and you don't want to do it anymore. Is that right?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Then don't!" Velma starts to laugh. "Look, I get it, you don't want to tarnish your family's reputation or whatever, but you've gotta let it go. You'll be miserable your whole life if you only ever do what your family wants you to do. Besides, I'm pretty sure the detective shtick is pushing it, anyway."

"But it's easier for you!" Daphne feels tears start to bloom. "Your family likes you for  _ you _ . Your sisters- your  _ sister _ doesn't treat you like a company mascot. God, I can't even  _ think  _ to bring someone home without Dawn asking what their assets are. I mean, does Madelyn ever try to grill your dates for their net worth?"

"I can't say that she does."

"You see what I mean?" Daphne takes a seat on a nearby stump.

"I'm sure they care about you, just… in their own, totally jacked way?"

She shrugs, openly upset now. "I mean… Delilah thinks I'm cool."

Scooby lays his head on her lap, and she gives him a few scratches behind his ears.

Velma blows her bangs out of her face, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. "It'll be okay. You've just gotta decide who you are for yourself. Everything else will start to fall into place after that."

Daphne takes a long breath, eventually nodding.

"You're right. Thanks, Velma. You're always so…  _ wise. _ "

"Yeah, I am pretty smart, aren't I?"

=

The rustling of the trees makes the hairs on Shaggy's neck stand on end. Fred whistles, unaffected as he digs through the old photographs that the ranger had offered up.

"So, you guys got things figured out yet?" Fred asks much too casually.

Shaggy rubs the back of his neck.

"Actually, this is, like, the first time I've seen her since the dance."

Fred sucks in an awkward hiss through his teeth. " _ Oh _ ."

Shaggy stares out of the station window. He can just make out a small blur of red and purple in the distance. "Thanks, man, now I'm feeling  _ real _ good about it."

"No, no, it'll work out. You've just gotta… uh… you just…"

Taking a breath, Shaggy chuckles. "You really aren't much better at this than I am."

"Well, you know me," Fred laughs back, "I don't play the dating game."

Shaggy nods. 

Chewing his lip, he muses, "I think she really likes you, though."

"Really? Oh…" Fred sighs. "I'm sorry, man. I thought she knew I didn't see anybody that way."

"Deep down, I think she does, but I don't want to tell her something that's not for me to tell, yknow? 

"No, no, of course not. I just… I'm sure it's hard on her. Doesn't really seem fair that  _ I've _ never talked to her about it." Fred looks at his shoes, guilty.

"I mean, you didn't really know she might need to hear it until now. Like-"

A sudden shriek cuts through the trees, followed by rapid barking.

Fred gasps. "Was that-"

Shaggy takes off running before he can finish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time, but I promise there's more to come!


	4. Strangers in the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, we've got some 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo references coming in this chapter, so if you haven't seen that, there may be some pieces of dialogue that don't make sense!

The last thing she can remember is her head…  _ her head… _

Her head is killing her, but the band shows no signs of toning down. She doesn't dare excuse herself, lest her mother find out she left early.

Delilah approaches her, holding out an ibuprofen tablet and a glass of sparkling water. "They only had one, but hopefully it'll do. Did you get any better while I was gone?"

Daphne shakes her head, taking the medicine. "Sorry."

Her older sister laughs, running a hand through her choppy red hair, "You're sorry for a headache? I'm sorry mom dragged your ass- er, dragged you out here on your birthday. It's not like we don't have one of these every few months."

The heads of the Blake household, Eliza and Nedley, were always happy to rub elbows with neighboring elites. It made them almost infamous for hosting events, charity or otherwise, throwing them so often that each one may as well be on a whim. This particular charity auction just happened to fall on Daphne's 12th birthday.

Daphne shrugs. "It's alright, I don't mind. They probably just… forgot."

"Hold that thought, I think the new ones are here." Delilah jerks a thumb to the doors of the hotel ballroom.

A kindly-looking couple enters, shaking the Blake's hands. 

"Who are they?"

"Rogers, just moved into town. Mom mentioned them to me earlier. Husband's a pilot, wife's a painter." Delilah snorts. "Mom told me to  _ 'be civil' _ , like I'm not-"

Daphne chokes on her sparkling water.  Trailing after the couple is a boy not much older than her, a year or two at most, wearing the most godforsaken suit she's ever seen in her life.

"Good hell," Delilah laughs in awe, "is that  _ corduroy _ ?"

It's definitely brown corduroy. The forest green button-up underneath isn't doing the kid any favors, either.

The elder Blake sister pinches the bridge of her nose, nearly doubled over with laughter. "Come on, we gotta go over there."

"What?  _ Why? _ "

Delilah catches her breath for a moment before she answers. "He's the only person here not dressed to impress. I respect that. Besides, I have to ask him where the hell he got it."

Daphne frowns, looking around the room. "I don't know… Mom said she didn't want us goofing around."

"We won't be. I'm just gonna ask him where he got that suit." Delilah straightens her own suit jacket, as if it hasn't stayed perfectly pressed all night.

Daphne rationalizes with herself for a moment. Her mother had told her to act like a lady. Delilah  _ is _ a lady, so it stands to reason that if she acts like Delilah, she's acting like a lady. She nods. "Okay, but if mom and dad get mad-"

"Then you just tell them it's my fault. You know, since it is." She grins, starting the walk towards the snack spread.

The new kid looks up at them as they approach. He quickly swallows the cupcake he'd been working on.  "Like, hello… How are you?"

"Yeah, yeah, formal jargon. Anyway, where'd you get the suit?"

Daphne blanches at her sister's lack of formality. She half expects the new kid to be offended, but his sigh of relief catches her off guard.

"Oh, good. Like, I thought you were gonna tell me this wasn't free food." He gestures to his plate.

He and Delilah chatter for a moment, and Daphne stares into space. Her  _ birthday _ , for heaven's sake, and she's standing here talking to some shaggy-haired boy-

"Right, Daphne?" Delilah asks.

The question is a bucket of cold water on her brain. "Sorry, what?"

"You've got a weird name, too."

She scoffs. "Oh,  _ well _ , like 'Delilah' is so modern-"

"Oh, shush, I'm not making fun of you. This kid says he's got a weird name, I thought you could relate."

"Oh. Sorry." She looks over at the green-clad boy, finally addressing him.

He shrugs. "Don't worry, people ask about it a lot. I'm Norville."

Daphne snorts, earning a gentle elbow to her shoulder from her sister.

"Don't be rude." Delilah mutters through the clenched teeth of her own stifled laughter.

Norville holds out his hand for her to shake. She starts to respond in kind, but her head begins to pound harder than ever. The band is too loud.

Shaggy holds out his hand for her to take. She's not 12 anymore. Neither is he. Everybody's staring at her. Fred is staring at her. Her mom isn't even there and she's staring at her.

_ Her head pounds. _

=

Her consciousness slamming back into her body, Daphne wakes up on the forest floor.

“Come on, we’ve gotta go.”

Someone gently shakes her arm. Groaning, she stands up and finds Shaggy there. “Wh- where are we? I thought we were with the others, how-”

“I don’t know, man.” Shaggy takes in their surroundings.

They’re deeper into the woods than before, but centered in a small clearing. Other than an abandoned cabin, there aren’t any obvious landmarks. Next to him, Daphne shudders. “Weren’t we just by the ranger station? I thought… Where are Fred and Velma? Where's Scooby?”

"I don't know," He repeats, removing his hands from her shoulders as soon as she's stable on her feet. "But there's, like, no cell service. I tried. I know where  _ we _ are, though, there's a place up the trail a couple of miles."

Shuffling from the underbrush catches their attention. Turning, they find nothing there. The hair on the back of Daphne's neck stands up.

"I've got a bad feeling about-"

A pair of eyes emerges, glowing at them from the trees. Sucking in a cold breath, Daphne freezes. Shaggy tenses next to her, gently taking her wrist in his hand. "Back up.  _ Slowly _ ."

The pair shuffles into the nearby shack. The decaying walls and broken windows offer little cover, but it's better than the clearing. The air is still and heavy. Daphne can hear Shaggy's heart pounding in his chest, or maybe it's her own. Just as she lets out her held breath, long fingers drum along the outside of a window.  Shaggy backs into her, ushering her through an open door behind them. The closet is hardly bigger than a high school locker, but she can fit. He starts to close the door after her, leaving her alone, but she pulls him in by the back of his shirt. The closet door shuts with a small  _ click. _

Nobody speaks. Nobody breathes. The tapping of long fingers against broken glass fills the evening air. Nails drag along the side of the cabin, approaching their half of the structure. Daphne clutches the back of Shaggy's shirt until she can feel her nails against her palms through the fabric. The scratching reaches the back wall of the closet and stops. She can almost feel claws at her back. The drumming starts again, as if to say that it  _ knows. _

As quickly as it starts, the sound stops. Through the thin wood, the two hear the telltale breaking of underbrush. In the distance, a deer cries. The creature runs off, following the sound of meat.

After a moment, Shaggy opens the closet door, peeking around to make sure they're alone. Daphne pushes past him, taking a deep breath. "I can't believe you."

He looks down at her, shaking dust off of his shirt. "Me? What did I do?"

"You were going to stay out here with that… that  _ thing _ , whatever it was."

"Like, yeah? I was going to lead it off, and then you could get out and go get help."

"Why would you do that? You don't even know what it was! I don't even know where we  _ are _ !" She's shouting now.

"I said before, there's a place up the trail a couple of miles." He frowns back. "I figured I'm usually ghoul-bait, anyway, what's the difference?"

"The  _ difference- _ ? What, so you were just going to leave me?"

Silence follows. Daphne feels her cheeks become warm. Shaggy blinks a few times.

"Not if you don't want me to." He breathes.

She turns and storms out of the cabin, heading up the trail. Shaggy jogs to catch up with her. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" She doesn't look at him.

"Running off when I say something wrong."

"It's not… wrong."

"So then, like, why do you run off?"

Daphne chews her lower lip, staring at her feet as they carry her through the trees. "Because nobody talks that way. Nobody says  _ things _ like you do."

"Things?" Shaggy can't help a chuckle.

She frowns, blushing deeper. "You said you liked me."

He stops laughing.

"Now you just said you won't leave if I don't want you to."

"I won't."

"But what if I want you to?"

He stops walking, thinking for a minute. Daphne takes a few more steps, but stops when she doesn't hear him catch up again.

"Then… yeah, I'd go. If you wanted me to."

She turns to look at him and finds him watching her, his hands in his pockets. She sighs. "I don't want you to go, I just… don't you know how you sound when you say things like that?"

"Probably desperate?"

"No, you sound like you…"

_ Oh.  _

That's when it really hits her.

"Like you like me."

"I told you I do." He tilts his head, confused. "Do you still think I'm joking?"

Daphne has a sudden feeling she's drowning. "But you can't like me."

"I mean, if you don't want me to, I'll try my best."

"My family… they won't like it. They don't like dates that they don't pick."

Shaggy snorts, shaking his head. "Your family doesn't like anyone outside of their tax bracket, Daph." He laughs, but it's humorless.

"Sorry." She offers, but he keeps going before she can think of something else to say.

"Like, I don't want to know what your family wants. I'm pretty sure I can figure it out. All I want to know is what  _ you  _ want. If you just want to be friends, that's great. I can do that. If you don't even want that anymore, I can make that work for me, too." He looks solemn, but continues, "I just can't read your mind. I really wish I could make it that easy for you."

"I…"

Daphne feels her eyes water, but she keeps it together. "I don't know what I want."

"That's okay, too."

They continue up the trail for a while. The sun begins to dip into the mountains after a half hour. Daphne speaks first.

"After the dance, I couldn't stop thinking about what you said, that you've liked me for a while. How long is 'a while'?"

"The Himalayas."

"That was last month-"

"The first time."

Her breath catches in her throat and threatens to choke her.  _ The first time?  _ T hat was…

"That was three years ago." They were barely 17.

He nods. "Yeah. You, like, turned into a werewolf and tried to kill me. It really sucked."

Daphne frowns. "And that's what did it for you?"

"No."

"Then what did?"

The question hangs in the air for a good minute or two, and she hardly remembers what she's asked by the time Shaggy answers.

"I thought you died. Like, it kind of makes you think."

She remembers, but she doesn't want to. She'd woken up on a stone slab in the middle of a haunted castle. Shaggy and Scooby had both been visibly upset. Vincent had been next to inconsolable, having almost let a child die under his watch.

"I knew everyone took it hard, but… I honestly had no idea it was that bad." She murmurs.

"I don't know," Shaggy shrugs. "We'd been through so much, and then, like… you weren't there anymore. I'd never really thought about it until then, I just always thought you'd be there. I'd never tried to picture things without you."

It occurs to her that she hasn't either. To be fair, she's always pictured the whole gang in her life, but in the rare moments without Fred and Velma…

Shaggy scoffs. "It's weird, I'm sorry. Like, that was probably too much." He backpedals with a nervous laugh.

"No, no… I think I get it."

She can almost feel the Chest of Demons in her hands again. Vincent would be laughing at them both if he could see them now, two college kids stumbling over the obvious.

Just then, Shaggy picks up the pace a little, cresting the hill they're on. From the top, he calls down to her. "I see the lodge."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy, flashbacks/dream sequences are one of my favorite things to write. Thanks for any and all comments, guys!


	5. Midnight, the Stars, and You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that's been commenting! You guys are making me feel so pleased with how this is turning out. <3  
> Heads up, I do indulge myself with one of my favorite tropes in this chapter and the next, but I do try to flip it on its head a little! ;)

Velma runs a hand through her hair again.

"You do that enough and it'll start falling out." Fred huffs.

"Yeah, like it isn't already." She snaps, frantically typing on her laptop.

They'd disappeared. Shaggy and Daphne had disappeared right before her eyes. The creature had showed up and grabbed Daphne, but before it could take off running, Shaggy had tackled it, and they'd  _ disappeared _ . Poof.

"But how did they do it?" She growls to herself. "It's impossible."

"Hey, Velma?" Fred calls from the front half of the van. "I think I found something."

Velma peers over the back of the seat, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Fred holds a copy of an old book of legends, flipped open to an illustration labeled  _ The Wild Moutain-Walker.  _ It matches the creature that Velma saw, with elongated limbs and smart eyes, eyes too human for comfort.

"It says they can... teleport? Or at least run fast." Fred points to a passage in the book.

"Okay, that's great, but… this has to just be some guy screwing around, right? They might be dressed as this thing, but how are they hopping from place to place so fast? And where did they take Shaggy and Daphne?" Velma bites her lip, feeling a small split forming.

Fred sighs in defeat. "At least now we know what they're dressed as?"

Scooby whines from the backseat, and Velma gives him a pat on the head. "We'll find them, boy. We've just… got to keep looking."

=

"Like, I still can't get a hold of them." Shaggy frowns down at his phone. "No signal."

"I tried them with the front desk, but it didn't go through." Daphne glances around.

The lodge is elegant, decorated in warm colors and diverse art. Daphne recognizes the place much better now that they're inside. She'd stayed here once with her family as a kid. Shaggy shakes next to her, all nerves. "I don't like this place."

"I was actually just thinking about how much I like this place." Daphne can't hide a smirk.

"Like, you don't recognize it?"

"Oh, I do. I've been here before."

"It just… Nevermind."

"What? If it's bothering you, tell me."

Staff and patrons bustle around them, and Shaggy watches a few pass by before he shudders. "So, I saw this movie once..."

"Oh?"

"Like, this kid and his parents all stay here- I mean,  _ in a hotel _ for the winter, right? Well, then his dad-"

"Excuse me," a concierge interrupts, smiling. "Are you checking in this evening? If not, I'd be more than happy to give you directions."

"Oh, um…"

Shaggy and Daphne exchange glances. The concierge continues.

"Unfortunately, our shuttle services are closed for the evening, but if you have your own transportation, the nearest stop is a lovely twenty-four hour diner a few miles east of here."

"No, thank you. We'll just be checking in." Daphne smiles back.

"Perfect! Follow me."

As the concierge leads them to the front desk, Shaggy shoots her a nervous look. "What are you doing?"

"You heard him, unless we have our own car, there's nothing for miles. There's no way Fred and Velma can get to us until morning without us calling, and that doesn't look like it's working out. It's ten o'clock at night, Shaggy."

"How are we going to pay?"

"We're rich kids, remember?"

If he didn't know any better, he'd think she sounded bitter.

A receptionist greets them with a smile. "Hello, there. I've been told you need a room. Now, there's good news and bad news."

"Bad news first?" Shaggy shrugs.

"It's heavy tourism season.” The receptionist chuckles, “I know, I know, it's the middle of fall. Not usually heavy for other places, but you know, we get a big pull for the Halloween season."

"Why's that?" Daphne's eyebrows knit together.

"You don't know? They filmed that one movie here."

"What movie?" She smirks, glancing at Shaggy.

"You know, that one about the kid and his parents and the... You know what? Nevermind." The woman laughs. "Anyway, the good news is we do have one room left, but-"

"Perfect, thanks." Daphne hands the woman her card.

"Oh, okay. Happy to help." She shrugs, swiping it and handing it back with a keycard. "It went through no problem. You two have a good night, and feel free to use room service, Ms. Blake!"

Daphne cringes slightly. The receptionist must have seen the name on the card. "Thank you!" 

She's practically halfway up the foyer stairs, Shaggy trailing behind.

The room, 217, unlocks with ease. Daphne starts to head in, but notices Shaggy isn't moving. "What?"

"That's  _ the  _ room."

"Let me guess, from that movie?"

"Well, no, from the book, but like-"

"Oh, would you just get in?" Daphne takes his hand and pulls him inside.

It's larger than she expected, almost the size of a small apartment. There's a balcony to the outside, but the sliding glass door is tucked behind two thick curtains. The bathroom is immaculate, and she spots a large jacuzzi tub. The bed…

There's only one bed.

"I… Maybe we can get another room?" Her face must be as red as her hair.

"Like, you heard the lady, they're booked. This is the last room.”

They stare at the bed for a long time. Eventually, Shaggy coughs.

"Like, it's no big deal, I'll just sleep on the floor."

Daphne bites her lip. "You're sure? I mean, it's not like I want you to, I just can't think of anything else. I mean, unless..."

“Unless?”

“Unless  _ I _ slept on the floor. I wouldn’t mind, to be honest, so if you want-”

"Don't worry about it, yeah? I can sleep on the floor.”

A knock on the door startles the pair, and they glance at each other before Daphne answers. “Hello?”

“Hello.” A hotel attendant smiles. “The, ah, the front desk said I should bring these for you.”

“What’s-”

They hand her a pair of fluffy robes and two sets of pajamas.

“We guessed your sizes, I hope that’s okay. Only the best for such a high-class guest, right?” The attendant chuckles.

“Oh, thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.” While Daphne can’t say she likes the hotel knowing her status, she also can’t help but be touched at the gesture.

“It’s no problem. Will you two be needing anything else?”

_ Oh, right _ . She’d almost forgotten Shaggy was with her.

“No thanks, man, I think we’re good.” He waves from farther inside the room.

“Alrighty, then. Don’t hesitate to call us if you change your mind.” With a final smile, the attendant heads off.

Daphne closes the door behind them, balancing the clothes in her free hand. Shaggy eyes the bundles. “I can leave if you want to change. We aren’t exactly, like, spotless after what happened in the woods.”   
  


The woods seem like days ago, honestly. It’s then that Daphne realizes just how tired she actually is. “That would be nice.”

“Go ahead, I’ll grab a bite downstairs. I’m sure a nice place like this has some pretty good eats. Just come find me when you’re done, I don’t want to barge in on you.”

“Thanks. Oh, do you need money for food? I-”

She starts to pull her wallet out of her bag, but Shaggy holds up a hand, chuckling. “Like, I might not be able to afford a swanky hotel for a night, but I’m not completely deficit, Daph. You want anything while I’m out?”

The question is strangely domestic. If Daphne doesn’t stop blushing, she’s going to burst a blood vessel in her face. “Not that I can think of, thanks. I’ll just grab something after I come get you. Then you can take your turn while I’m eating.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He nods, heading for the door.

As soon as she’s alone, Daphne lets out a deep sigh. This is going to be a long night. She’s glad Shaggy’s handling it as well as he is, since she’s not sure she’d be much help if he wasn’t. Though, if she’s being honest with herself, she’s handling it much better than she should be.

The gang thinks they’re missing, and they’re in one of the nicest hotels in the state. Her parents don’t really care where she is, and even if anyone wanted to call her right now, they couldn’t reach her if they tried. Apart from Shaggy knowing where she is, she’s practically off the grid.  The thought is perilous territory. If no one knows where she is… can’t she do what she wants? The question haunts her through a bath. As she towels her hair off, her thoughts spiral further.  _ What would Delilah do? _ She scoffs.  _ Delilah would do what she wants. _

It’s the shackles of being the ‘good child’.  _ All _ of her other sisters would do what they want, regardless of the scandal or gossip it would bring upon their family. Their parents had provided for them, shouldn't they pay that forward?  Another thought strikes her. Apart from throwing money at her when she might need it (and even when she didn’t, really), what had her parents done for her and her sisters? Throw galas on their birthdays? Try and buy their affections, rather than spend genuine time with them? She doesn’t dislike her parents, but... she doesn’t owe them anything. That may just be the most perilous thought of the night. What’s holding her back, if not the illusion of a debt? 

Her next thought,  _ 'what would Velma do?' _ , is just as unhelpful. 

“ _ So, what? You've only been making other people happy your whole life, and you don't want to do it anymore. Is that right?”  _

The words bounce around her skull for a few minutes, feeling more like they were a lifetime ago rather than earlier today.  Velma’s right, as usual. She’s tired of boxing herself in just because her family makes more money than the whole damn town. It hasn’t done her any good. She’s bored.  She wants to take  _ risks _ .

Dressing in the pajamas, Daphne heads downstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of Fred and Velma in this chapter!  
> Please forgive my endless need to reference 'The Shining' in everything I write.


	6. Sleeping with a Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry for such a late update! I got real busy with work, but hopefully there will be a smaller gap between chapters moving forward. Thanks for being patient!

Shaggy is definitely panicking. This isn’t remotely how he’d imagined spending the night, even if it’s better than being out in the woods with whatever that thing was. He’s glad Daphne’s handling it as well as she is, because he’d be hardly any help if she wasn’t.

Groaning, he runs a hand through his hair. Strangely enough, the simple salad he’d ordered remains untouched. He can barely think about food right now. The gang thinks they’re missing, when in reality, they’re in a hotel worth more than his life. His parents probably aren’t worried yet, since they knew he’d be upstate with the gang for the weekend, anyway. His phone isn’t working, so even if he tries to find a way out of this, nobody will pick up. He’s essentially off the grid.

“Hey.” As if on cue, Daphne comes up to his table.

Her hair is damp and it  _ does something _ to him. He’s not a fan of that something, though, and he unceremoniously gulps down the soda he’d ordered with the salad.

“Like, hey.” He manages, once his brain is effectively frozen.

“The room’s all yours. I’m hungry too, so…” She eyes the salad, unbothered on the plate. “Hey, you haven’t-”

“Like, thanks. I’m gonna shower, so I’ll let you know when I’m done and we can… go from there, I guess.” 

God, is he glad she has any context for what he's just said.

She pauses, watching him for a second. There’s a look behind her eyes that he hasn’t seen from her before.

“What, what is it?” He lets out a nervous laugh.

“I…" She hesitates. "Nothing. I’m gonna eat, just let me know when you’re done."

He heads back to the room, not daring to turn around again.

=

Shaggy paces, too nervous to go back downstairs. Having showered, he feels better, but Daphne’s expression earlier had left him rattled. It isn’t that he couldn’t read it, it’s that he knows  _ exactly _ what it means _. _

He had to have been imagining it. If he wasn't, he has no idea how to approach it. Honestly, he’d rather assume he’d imagined it, because if he assumes he didn’t imagine it, he might just ruin the night entirely.

A knock at the door makes him jump, his nerves already frayed. A look through the peephole reveals the culprit to be Daphne, tapping her foot and glancing around the hallway. He opens the door. She bolts past him to the balcony doors, peeking through the curtains.

“Hey, uh, what’s-”

“Look.” She gasps, pointing.

Shaggy’s blood turns to ice. Outside, in the bushes, the glowing eyes from earlier stare back up at them. Daphne swallows. “I saw it from the dining hall, through one of the bigger windows. I didn’t want it to see me, but…”

The eyes retreat until they fade into the treeline, unblinking.

Shaggy glances back at the open door to the room. “Like, I’m going to lock that.”

“Do it. It’s not like we can’t unlock it again.” Daphne double-checks the balcony lock, closing the curtains as soon as she's sure they won't blow open during the night.

She backs away from the glass, only to immediately bump into Shaggy. She jumps, turning on her heel to look at him.

"Hey," his eyebrows turn with concern, "like, it- it's going to be ok."

He lifts his hands to hold her shoulders, but catches himself. Daphne would be lying if she said she wasn't a little disappointed. At this distance, he smells like fresh bread, and maybe a little bit of a spice she can't place. She likes it more than she should.

"You're shaking like a leaf, Daph." Shaggy fidgets with his hands to try and hide his own distress.

Maybe she isn't in her right mind, or maybe she simply doesn't care anymore, but she takes the extra step forward, closing the space between them to rest her head against his chest. He tenses immediately, and she debates pulling back, but then his hands rest on her back for a gentle hug. It's comfortable, much more so than she could have imagined.

After a moment, she feels Shaggy rest his chin on the top of her head. He sighs, and she hopes he doesn't pull away yet. Unfortunately, he does just that.

"It's late."

The words are a question in their own way. She mulls them over, oddly calm.

"I'm not tired yet. That…  _ thing- _ "

Shaggy winces. "You probably shouldn't think about it right now. Like, not if we're going to try and get any sleep at all."

Daphne nods, taking any excuse not to think about the eyes watching from outside. She shuffles awkwardly, not sure how to proceed. Shaggy, on the other hand, has taken the spare blanket and pillow, lying them on the floor to create a makeshift sleeping bag.

"You're sure you'll be okay?" She frowns, realizing how sparse his half of the arrangement is.

"Don't worry about me, yeah? I said I'd take the floor and, like, I'm happy to do it."

She snorts. "What are you, the perfect man?"

The color drains from her face as soon as the question is out. Shaggy, thankfully not looking at her, brushes it off with a chuckle.

"Yeah, because chicks totally dig guys who look like they sell grass."

She laughs despite herself.

Before getting too comfortable, Shaggy dares another peek outside. The treeline is empty, but the wind howls. He closes the drapes with a shudder, turning back to find Daphne lost in thought.

He catches himself staring when she glances over at him and looks away, feeling suddenly too perverse for his own taste. Her look from earlier haunts him again. He can feel his palms begin to sweat.

"Is it still there?" She asks.

"What?"

She jerks her head towards the window, climbing into the bed. "The… thing."

"N-no, I don't think so."

She frowns, kneading her lower lip between her teeth, and the feeling of  _ something _ returns. Breathing deep, he heads to his spot on the floor. It's going to be a long night, but he'll manage. He nods to himself, pulling the blanket closer.

The floor is slightly colder than the rest of the room. Suddenly, Shaggy misses the feel of Scooby snoring by his feet. He's never been without it before. At least, not for as long as he cares to remember. The notion must show on his face, because Daphne speaks up.

"Are you okay? Really, if you need me to take the floor, I can."

"No, no, it's not that. I just miss Scoob."

Daphne sighs. "Me, too. He's a good dog. I miss the gang."

"Yeah. In the morning, we'll-"

The sudden sound of claws scraping glass makes his skin crawl. His spine straightens, freezing up. Daphne lets out a yelp, shuffling backwards off of the bed to get distance between her and the window.

She reaches the side of the bed closest to him, eyes glued to the closed curtains. Shaggy places a hand on her back so she doesn't fall off. She jumps, her hair almost whipping his face when she turns around.

"Sorry, I-"

Daphne doesn't even register that he's spoken, practically leaping to the floor and tucking herself against him. She's shaking again. Hell, he probably is, too.

"There's no way it got up here, right?" She breathes.

He places a hand on her shoulder. "Like, I don't know."

The scraping turns to knocking, perfectly rhythmic. Daphne fumbles around until she finds his hand. Her nails dig into his palms, but he just appreciates the company.

With a gulp, Shaggy peeks over the bed. The curtains block any view from the outside, and he's suddenly more grateful for the swanky fabric.

"We're not on the ground floor." Daphne watches him as he leans back down to her. "How would it even get up here so fast?"

Shaggy only shrugs, mouth slightly agape.

_ Tap. Tap. Tap. _

It goes on and on, time crawling forward. The alarm clock on the bedside table seems to work as slowly as they breathe. Minutes turn into halves of hours. After too long, the room is silent.

Daphne shivers. Whether from fear or cold, he doesn't know. Shaggy takes the blanket from the floor, wrapping it around her shoulders. He peeks over the bed again before she can thank him. Moonlight seeps into the room through the curtains, casting a pale blue glow over his face. Daphne notes that she's never seen Shaggy this composed in the face of danger before.

He returns, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I… I'm gonna go check. To see if it's gone, I mean."

Oh, now he's just playing the hero.

"Like hell you are. You go, I go."

He sighs, exasperated, then nods. "You're right. I said I wouldn't leave, so I won't."

The words stir something in her that she buries almost instantly. She tries not to think about how close he is. Or rather, how close they've been for just over an hour now, her hand in his for the better half of it.

"All right. Together, then."

The blanket still around Daphne's shoulders, they make their way to the window. Shaggy hesitates when they reach the curtains, hands shaking again. Steeling her nerves, Daphne throws the curtains open before she can change her mind.

The surrounding area is empty, void of any movement. Gazing over the treeline, she sighs. "What does it even want? Why is it following us?"

"That's a question for Velma." Shaggy snorts.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're smart, too."

The response comes with no forethought, but she doesn't mind. She knows she's right. Closing the curtains and heading back to their stronghold on the floor, Daphne takes a pillow for herself.

"You don't want the bed?" Shaggy frowns, confused.

The question shoots through her spine, leaving goosebumps on her arms. She swallows.

"No- no, that's okay."

But she doesn't want him to take the bed, either. 

A bead of sweat forms on the back of her neck. 

"I was hoping we could just... stay down here? I don't want either of us to be where the window..." she trails off.

"You don't want it to see us if it comes back." He nods, looking over his shoulder to the closed curtains.

Then he does the math.

The wind howls outside, shaking the trees. Ambient movement from upstairs creeps through the vents. Somewhere deeper in the building, faint music plays.

"Oh." Shaggy breathes.

He doesn't move. Daphne tests the waters, taking his hand again. He squeezes back out of instinct, but his body goes rigid. He doesn't make eye contact at first, looking at everything but her.

"Shaggy?"

"Hmmm?" He stares at a floor lamp.

"It's okay."

He sucks in a small breath, finally meeting her eyes. He never noticed how green they were before.

"I don't mind." She offers.

"Like, that's good, but is it what you  _ want _ ?"

Daphne's quiet for a moment, and he can practically see the gears in her head turning. She lets go of his hand. He offers a reassuring smile.

"That's okay, I just wanted to make sur-"

"Yeah. It is."

He raises his brows, not having expected her to sound so determined. She must notice his expression, as she immediately backpedals.

"Please. If that's okay."

He laughs softly, a strange and sudden peace washing over him. "It's okay, I can stay with you. Just, like, tell me if you change your mind."

"Of course."

Neither one of them lies down, at first. They simply sit where they were before, backs to the bedframe and shoulders grazing each other. Every so often, Daphne examines his hand in hers as if it's fascinating in some way.

She's the first one to fall asleep, lightly snoring against his shoulder by three in the morning. Shaggy doesn't move until his shoulder falls asleep under her. Biting the inside of his cheek, he does his best to let her go without waking her, giving her his place on the floor and gently tucking her in.

Daphne looks peaceful, now that she's resting. He glances to the curtains, remembering her request for him to stay close by. Grimacing, he plucks the second pillow from the spot beside her, tiptoeing past her sleeping form.

Shaggy takes the bed, feeling like a coward, and watches the clock tick to four forty-five before he finally passes out from sheer exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love it when characters are Going Through It >:3c


	7. Summer Breeze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yesssss it's time for my favorite chapter, this was such a fun one to write  
> =  
> Song that goes along with this chapter is "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts  
> =  
> Thanks so much for all of your lovely comments!

Shaggy runs through the woods, and he can hear that  _ thing _ not far behind. Underbrush crumbles below his feet. The creature screeches. Up ahead, he can see daylight. He bursts through the treeline, crashing into a clearing. Suddenly, he can't explain how, but he knows the creature is gone.

The cabin from earlier is there, but different now. The wood lacks rot, and the windows are whole. There's a small patio with a bench next to the front door. He approaches, fist raised to knock, but the door opens before he gets the chance. Daphne smiles up at him.

"I missed you."

The something-feeling he can't seem to get rid of threatens to knock him over. She has the look from earlier, but there's a softness in it now.

"Y-you did?"

"Of course I did, why wouldn't I?" She takes his hand and guides him inside. "It's almost dark out."

He didn't notice it was sunset until now.

Seals and Crofts plays from a radio he didn't know they had. Is it theirs? He can't help thinking so. The air carries the warm smell of cooking. Daphne passes a kitchen. She passes a living room. She passes a small, somehow familiar closet. She stops in a bedroom. There's only one bed.

"I can take the floor." The words spill from his mouth without thought.

She laughs with that wind-chime laugh he loves, taking a seat on the mattress. "You haven't taken the floor in years."

=

Shaggy wakes up in a cold sweat. Hardly a minute passes before he's assessed the room and remembered where he is. The Something has him in an iron grip.

He panics, running to the bathroom. The cold water he splashes on his face only starts working on the second try. Shaggy catches his breath, glancing at the alarm clock.  He's hardly slept two hours. Outside, the sun is barely cresting the horizon.

Back in the main room, Daphne snores gently from the floor. Shaggy clenches his teeth, looking back to the mirror and trying to think of anything but her or his dream. The bags under his eyes stare back at him. Minutes pass. Eventually, the faint and familiar smell of food shakes him from in front of the sink. He sighs, taking the key card from the nightstand and leaving the room.

=

Daphne yawns and stretches, her back already protesting the few hours she was on the floor. Blinking a few times, she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning." She offers.

No response, not even a snore.

She hums, surveying the room. The bed has been put back together, albeit haphazardly. Shaggy must have slept there, despite her warning about the window. Wherever he'd slept, though, he isn't there now. She's alone.

"Shaggy?" She sits up, starting to worry.

The bathroom is open, but empty. The deadbolt of the main door is locked.  _ Did he leave?  _ He said he wouldn't.  _ Did that thing come back?  _ Impossible.  If it had, she would have heard. She kicks herself for being so worried, and yet…

"Shaggy?" She frowns at the amount of panic in her voice.

Daphne throws the front door open, ready to start looking anywhere, only to jump back with surprise.

"... Hey?" Shaggy looks as shocked as she is.

"Where were you?"

He holds up the small tray in his hands, almost a peace offering. "There were eggs and bacon downstairs."

"You're a vegetarian."

"You're not."

Daphne furrows her eyebrows, mouth falling open a bit. "It's... for me?"

"Like, yeah, I thought you might be hungry."

She can almost forgive him for leaving. Almost.

He re-enters the room, handing her the tray and taking a seat in the spot she'd slept only a few hours ago.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd be back?" She asks, cross-legged on the foot of the bed.

"I didn't want to bother you, I… I was up pretty early."

Daphne doesn't fail to notice his ears turn pink. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah." He shifts in place.

"Hmm." She lets it go, hoping to ease his discomfort.

She eats the gifted meal in silence, letting Shaggy set the pace for conversation. After a while, he coughs.

"Like, did you sleep alright?"

"As well as you can expect, with a monster on the loose." She inspects a strip of bacon, regarding him from the corner of her eye. "You took the bed."

It's an observation, just shy of an accusation.

"I, uh- yeah. I did." He buckles under the pressure immediately.

"You could've taken the floor with me, I thought we'd agreed on it."

"We did, I just… didn't want to."

Daphne chews her lip in thought. "I'm not mad. I just didn't want that thing to see you from the window. If it came back, I mean. I was worried."

While she's been talking, Shaggy's face has flushed an oddly attractive shade of salmon. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"It's alright."

Shaggy's face doesn't go back to normal. It occurs to Daphne that maybe she's not being careful enough with her words. She's not lying, but she doesn't want to string anything along.

"I worry about all of you guys, you know? Velma’s a little cocky, Fred can be reckless… even Scooby can be a bit oblivious."

"I know they worry about you, too. 'Danger-prone Daphne', right?" Shaggy cracks a smile at that.

She pouts. "I'm not danger-prone. I just… get curious."

"Don't worry about it." He laughs, waving a hand to dismiss the joke. "Like you said, we've all got problems."

Daphne finishes her meal, and the two take turns getting dressed in the bathroom before checking out of the hotel.

=

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I love dream sequences :3 Also, a heads up, next chapter is probably going to be a little shorter, since I'm in the middle of getting some paperwork together to move soon!


End file.
